Hey there! I'm João Bugarin, a 26-year-old Electrical Engineer currently pursuing my Master’s degree in Telecommunications. I made the exciting move to join WTC 15 months ago as part of the graduate program, and I have to say, I couldn't be happier with that decision!

Coming from the university experience, everything seemed daunting before I started. New company, new team, e-commerce (what on earth does that even mean?!), and so on. Well, that feeling didn't stick around for long. I quickly grasped the incredible opportunities and guidance that were available to me, how I could apply everything I had learned during my college years to my job, and how I could grow both technically and personally. My fear was quickly replaced by a great deal of excitement and happiness. I found myself among incredibly talented people who supported me. I went through several training sessions where I made friends from all over the world. I gained valuable communication and creativity skills and honed my coding abilities with some of the best programmers I've ever met. Ultimately, I realized that the start of my career should be new, encouraging, light, and meaningful.

As a backend developer, I've always had concerns about code quality and tackling challenging tasks. However, since joining here, I've learned how to strike a balance between speed and quality. I've discovered how to deliver exceptional work within tight timeframes, all with the unwavering support of my team.

They've taught me not just how to be a great programmer but also how to be a great developer, from conceptualizing ideas to delivering the final product. Here, it's perfectly fine to make mistakes, to not be perfect, and most of the time, you're encouraged to do so because failing often means learning twice as much. You never feel unsupported or stuck in your job, and this was a critical factor for me when choosing my career path. And that's not all – WTC has given me the opportunity to kickstart my own initiatives here. I've started collective skateboarding sessions after work, represented WTC at my university job fairs, organized coding challenges, and attended training sessions and meetings in various locations, including traveling and diversifying my network and experiences.

As if that weren't enough, I also found the perfect workplace. Since I'm based in Porto, Portugal, we work in an incredibly well-located office right in front of the beach. This location plays a big role in keeping our energy levels high during hard work and maintaining a creative mindset while we deliver top-tier software quality. It's the perfect place to build strong relationships with my colleagues. We share an incredibly fun and laid-back environment, and I've managed to forge some strong friendships with people who have become part of my personal life. And finally, we have plenty of activities and sports options in the office (surfing is so cool!) that encourage a sustainable and healthy lifestyle.

So, as you can see, I can't help but wholeheartedly recommend the graduate scheme. It turned out to be the perfect fit for me, as I was seeking a fantastic opportunity to begin my career, and I ended up not only getting that but also a place where I can continue to thrive, advance my career, and keep learning. I'm truly grateful for the exceptional treatment I've received from the very beginning, for all the wonderful colleagues I've met along the way, and for the incredible opportunities I've been offered in the last 15 months. If any of you are eager to kickstart your career in software/e-commerce, don't underestimate this opportunity – it's absolutely fantastic!